The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission will simultaneously investigate two of the most important issues in space physics today: the acceleration of energetic particles and the interaction of the solar wind with the interstellar medium.

This revolutionary mission includes a suite of 10 instruments working together to resolve fundamental scientific questions about the local interstellar medium, the boundaries surrounding our solar system, and how particles are accelerated to high energies in space.

IMAP offers wide-ranging and groundbreaking opportunities for scientific discovery. For example, it will reveal how cosmic rays are filtered by the heliosphere. These particles pose risks to astronauts and technological systems and may even play a role in the formation and presence of life in the universe.

The IMAP science team consists of many experts in instrumentation, data analysis, theory and modeling, as well as in the understanding of particle acceleration and the global heliosphere. The mission is led by Principal Investigator Prof. David McComas from the Space Physics Group at Princeton University. IMAP's 10 instruments will provide the first comprehensive in-situ and remote global observations to uncover the fundamental physical processes that shape our solar system's evolving space environment. Additional information about the mission can be found in the Open Access IMAP Paper.

Courtesy of IMAP.

The Space Weather Follow On Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) mission is a deep-space mission operating in a Lissajous orbit at the Sun-Earth Lagrange 1 (L1) point, enabling upstream measurements of solar wind disturbances before they reach Earth. It will provide continuous measurements of the sun’s corona and of the solar wind at the L1 point and transmit continuous real-time data to Earth.

The SWFO-L1 Observatory will have a 5-year mission life with on-board consumables to last 10 years. The spacecraft and instruments are high heritage designs. Only the Compact CORongraph (CCOR) instrument, reference Section 2.2 included technology development which was completed early in the program. SWFO-L1 will be launched as a rideshare with NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission, scheduled for launch the second half of 2025.

Courtesy of NOAA.

The GLIDE mission will provide insights into how Earth’s exosphere is influenced by changes in space, including the solar wind, shown here flowing from the Sun in this illustration. Credits: NASA

In 2022, Rocket Lab was selected by Ball Aerospace to manufacture the Solar Array Panel (SAP) to power NASA’s Global Lyman-Alpha Imager of Dynamic Exosphere (GLIDE) spacecraft. GLIDE is a heliophysics mission intended to study variability in Earth’s atmosphere and is expected to launch in 2025.

The SAP will utilize SolAero by Rocket Lab’s high-efficiency, radiation-hardened, quadruple-junction Z4J solar cells, laid down on carbon composite facesheet panels manufactured at the company’s facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rocket Lab has provided power to multiple spacecraft as part of NASA’s Heliophysics Division missions including the Parker Solar Probe, the first-ever mission to “touch” the Sun that launched in 2018, and the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, a robotic space mission to study Earth’s magnetosphere that launched in 2015.

Courtesy of Rocket Lab.

Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond.

Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket.

Stats

Completed missions: 477

Total landings: 432

Total reflights: 402

The Falcon 9 has launched 64 humans into orbit since May 2020

Specs

Height: 70 m / 229.6 ft

Diameter: 3.7 m / 12 ft

Mass: 549,054 kg / 1,207,920 lb

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 22,800 kg / 50,265 lb

Payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): 8,300 kg / 18,300 lb

Payload to Mars: 4,020 kg / 8,860 lb

On January 24, 2021, Falcon 9 launched the first ride-share mission to Sun Synchronous Orbit. It was delivering a record-setting 143 satellites to space. And while this was an important mission for SpaceX in itself, it was also the moment Falcon 9 overtook United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V for the total number of consecutive successful launches.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 had become America’s workhorse rocket, launching 31 times in 2021. It has already beaten that record this year, launching almost an average of once a week. While most of the launches deliver Starlink satellites to orbit, the company is still launching the most commercial payloads to orbit, too.

Falcon 9 is a medium-lift launch vehicle, with the capability to launch over 22.8 metric tonnes to low earth orbit. Unlike any other rocket, its first stage lands back on Earth after separating from its second stage. In part, this allows SpaceX to offer the cheapest option for most customers with payloads that need to reach orbit.

Under its ride-share program, a kilogram can be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit for a mere 1.1 million dollars, far cheaper than all other currently operating small satellite launch vehicles.

The reusability and fast booster turnaround times have made Falcon 9 the preferred choice for private companies and government agencies. This has allowed SpaceX to capture a huge portion of the launch market.

Photo courtesy of Jenny Hautmann for Supercluster.

Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) is a historic launch site located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Originally constructed in the late 1960s, LC-39A was designed to support the Apollo program, including the groundbreaking Apollo 11 mission that first landed humans on the Moon in 1969. The pad also played a crucial role in launching Skylab missions and was instrumental during the Space Shuttle era, including the launch of the first Space Shuttle, Columbia, on STS-1 in 1981.

In 2014, SpaceX leased LC-39A from NASA and undertook extensive refurbishments to adapt the pad for its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. These upgrades involved significant modifications to the pad's infrastructure to meet the requirements of SpaceX’s rockets. Since then, LC-39A has become a vital launch site for SpaceX, supporting a range of missions including crewed flights under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Under SpaceX's management, LC-39A has been the site of several landmark events. It hosted the first Falcon 9 launch from the pad on March 30, 2017, and was the launch site for the historic Falcon Heavy debut on February 6, 2018, which was the most powerful rocket in operation at that time. Additionally, LC-39A was the launch site for the first crewed flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft on May 30, 2020, marking the first crewed spaceflight from U.S. soil since the end of the Shuttle program.

Today, LC-39A remains a critical asset for SpaceX, supporting both crewed and uncrewed missions. It continues to serve as a launch site for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets and is expected to play a central role in future missions, including those aimed at lunar exploration and beyond. The pad's rich history and ongoing significance highlight its importance in the broader context of space exploration.

Photo courtesy of Jenny Hautmann for Supercluster

A Shortfall of Gravitas" (ASOG) is one of SpaceX’s Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships, designed to recover Falcon 9 rocket boosters at sea. Operating primarily in the Atlantic Ocean from Port Canaveral, Florida, ASOG joined SpaceX’s fleet in 2021. It plays a crucial role in SpaceX's reusability program, enabling the recovery and refurbishment of rocket boosters for future missions.

The name "A Shortfall of Gravitas" is inspired by science fiction author Iain M. Banks' Culture series, known for its playful and philosophical ship names. ASOG is fully autonomous, capable of sailing to its designated landing area and maintaining position without the need for a tugboat. Equipped with advanced thrusters, it ensures precise positioning even in challenging weather conditions and features a large landing platform for booster recovery.

ASOG is essential for missions requiring high velocities or distant orbits where landing on solid ground is not feasible. By recovering boosters at sea, ASOG helps SpaceX reduce costs and enhance the sustainability of spaceflight.

Photo courtesy to Jenny Hautmann for Supercluster